Corresponding author: Nina G. Bogutskaya (
Academic editor: M. Elina Bichuette
The first voucher-confirmed record of
Bogutskaya NG, Ahnelt H (2019) New data on the western Balkan leuciscids Alburnoides and Alburnus (Teleostei, Leuciscidae) from the Vjosa River, Albania. ZooKeys 870: 101–115.
The Vjosa River (Aoos in Greece) belongs to the South Adriatic-Ionian zoogeographical division of
Herein, we report the first voucher-confirmed records of
The
For methods and terminology of measurements and counts, and the comparative material, see
NMW 55706, 40 specimens, SL 36.5–52.8 mm (mean 45.0 mm); Albania: Vjosa River drainage, Bença River at Bença village, ca. 6 km upstream of confluence with tVjosa (ca.
Based on 40 specimens except for numbers of pharyngeal teeth and measurements as specified below. Dorsal-fin branched rays 8½; anal-fin branched rays 10½-12½ (mode 11½, mean 11.3½); scales in lateral series 45–51 (mean 48.1); total lateral-line scales 43–50 (mean 46.8); later-line scales to posterior margin of hypurals 43–49 (mean 45.8); ventral keel (n = 20) from completely to 1/3 scaled, commonly ¾ scaled; mouth with a fleshy snout protruding lower jaw; gill-rakers 7–9 (mode 8, mean 8); total vertebrae 39–41 (mode 40, mean 40.4) with abdominal vertebrae 20–21 (mode 20, mean 20.5), predorsal abdominal 13–15 (mode 14, mean 13.70) and caudal vertebrae 19–21 (mode 20, mean 19.9); most frequent vertebral formulae 20+20 and 21+20; pharyngeal teeth 2.5–4.2 (n = 5). Measurements for four specimens with SL over 50 mm see Table
Morphometric data of
NMW 55706: 1 | 55706: 2 | 55706: 3 | 55706: 4 | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Standard length (mm) | 50.5 | 51.7 | 52.2 | 52.8 |
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Body depth at dorsal-fin origin | 28.5 | 30.1 | 29.8 | 29.9 |
Body width at dorsal-fin origin | 10.9 | 13.7 | 11.9 | 13.0 |
Predorsal length | 54.6 | 55.7 | 57.2 | 56.4 |
Postdorsal length | 37.9 | 36.3 | 35.8 | 37.5 |
Prepelvic length | 49.5 | 50.7 | 50.9 | 48.7 |
Preanal length | 66.9 | 68.7 | 69.3 | 65.2 |
Pectoral – pelvic-fin origin length | 23.6 | 24.1 | 25.4 | 24.0 |
Pelvic – anal-fin origin length | 19.0 | 18.3 | 15.4 | 17.3 |
Caudal peduncle length | 23.9 | 21.8 | 22.9 | 24.3 |
Caudal peduncle depth | 12.3 | 13.2 | 12.6 | 12.3 |
Caudal peduncle width | 8.9 | 9.0 | 9.1 | 8.9 |
Dorsal-fin base length | 11.6 | 12.3 | 11.4 | 11.7 |
Dorsal-fin depth | 22.5 | 20.7 | 21.3 | 20.9 |
Anal-fin base length | 13.6 | 14.5 | 14.6 | 13.3 |
Anal-fin depth | 18.6 | 16.8 | 15.3 | 17.1 |
Pectoral fin length | 21.0 | 20.4 | 20.2 | 20.5 |
Head length | 26.4 | 26.5 | 25.6 | 24.9 |
Head depth at nape | 18.8 | 19.2 | 18.2 | 18.8 |
Head width (maximum) | 12.7 | 12.6 | 12.4 | 12.7 |
Snout length | 7.6 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
Eye diameter (horizontal) | 7.6 | 7.2 | 6.8 | 7.6 |
Postorbital distance | 13.0 | 12.7 | 13.1 | 12.2 |
Interorbital width | 8.8 | 8.3 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
Length of upper jaw | 8.9 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.9 |
Length of lower jaw | 11.3 | 11.1 | 10.0 | 11.3 |
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Head depth at nape | 71.1 | 72.4 | 76.0 | 73.0 |
Head width (maximum) | 48.3 | 47.3 | 49.7 | 49.9 |
Snout length | 28.7 | 28.1 | 29.4 | 30.0 |
Eye diameter (horizontal) | 28.9 | 27.2 | 29.4 | 27.4 |
Postorbital distance | 49.6 | 45.8 | 50.9 | 51.2 |
Interorbital width | 33.5 | 31.3 | 33.6 | 35.2 |
Length of upper jaw | 33.8 | 32.5 | 35.0 | 35.1 |
Length of lower jaw | 42.7 | 41.9 | 43.2 | 40.3 |
Depth of operculum | 40.3 | 39.9 | 38.2 | 40.5 |
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Depth of caudal peduncle | 51.3 | 60.7 | 53.2 | 52.0 |
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Eye diameter (horizontal) | 86.1 | 86.9 | 87.3 | 77.8 |
For a morphological comparison with close species (and presumptive species) see Table
Diagnostic characters for examined
Identification sensu |
Our identifications, including presumed species | Total lateral line scales | Anal fin branched rays | Total vertebrae | Abdominal vertebrae | Caudal vertebrae | Predorsal abdominal vertebrae | Most frequent vertebral formulae | Most frequent states of the ventral keel development as part of keel length covered by scales (scaled) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
45–51; |
13½–17½; |
40–42; |
20–21; |
20–22; |
13–15; |
20+21 | ½ to ¾ scaled | ||
45–54; |
12½–15½; |
40–42; |
20–21; |
20–22; |
13–15; |
20+21, 21+21 | 2/3 scaled | ||
42–46; |
10½–13½; |
38–40; |
19–21; |
18–20; |
12–14; |
20+19 | ½ to ¾ scaled | ||
– | 42–47; |
12½–15½; |
39–41; |
20–21; |
19–20; |
13–14; |
20+20 | ¼ to 1/3 scaled | |
42–44; 43.0 | 10½–11½; |
20+19 | ¾ to completely scaled | ||||||
6–53; |
11½–14½; |
40–42; |
20–21; |
19–21; |
13–14; |
20+20, 21+20, 20+21 | 1/3 to 0 scaled (=completely scaleless) | ||
44–48; |
11½–13½; |
40–41; |
20–21; |
19–20; |
12–13; |
20+20 | ¾ to completely scaled | ||
43–50; |
10½–12½; |
39–41; |
20–21; |
19–21; |
13–15; |
20+20; 21+20 | ½ to ¾ scaled |
* Assignment to any lineage of
Identification of the sample as
The body is pale fawn, the back darker than the ventral side. A distinct, black to dark grey stripe extends from the posterior margin of the orbit to the base of the caudal fin. The ventral side of the belly and of the tail is unpigmented. The lateral line is lined dorsally and ventrally by pigment along its entire length, most distinct in its anterior half to about below the origin of the dorsal fin. The fins are hyaline with tiny melanophores lining the dorsal and caudal fin rays, the anterior rays of the anal and the dorsal rays of the pectoral fins.
NMW 87654, 1 specimen, SL 70.8 mm; Albania: Vjosa River system: Selenica (
Measurements see Table
Morphometric data of
|
NMW 55700:1 | 55700:2 | 87654 | 87658 | 87659:1 | 87659:2 |
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female | female | female | male | female | male | |
Standard length (mm) | 125.6 | 93.4 | 70.8 | 90.8 | 106.9 | 98.2 |
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Body depth at dorsal-fin origin | 23.3 | 18.2 | 19.9 | 24.0 | 22.9 | 23.8 |
Body width at dorsal-fin origin | 10.8 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 8.2 | 8.5 |
Predorsal length (% SL) | 57.8 | 57.6 | 58.4 | 54.9 | 56.0 | 54.0 |
Postdorsal length (% SL) | 35.0 | 33.0 | 30.7 | 36.2 | 33.9 | 35.0 |
Prepelvic length (% SL) | 47.7 | 48.9 | 45.7 | 43.6 | 47.1 | 46.1 |
Preanal length (% SL) | 68.5 | 69.1 | 65.0 | 64.3 | 68.2 | 66.1 |
Pectoral – pelvic-fin origin length | 24.5 | 23.6 | 23.0 | 20.9 | 23.8 | 21.1 |
Pelvic – anal-fin origin length | 21.7 | 20.8 | 19.8 | 20.1 | 21.4 | 20.0 |
Caudal peduncle length | 20.2 | 20.5 | 21.2 | 19.0 | 19.2 | 18.3 |
Caudal peduncle depth | 9.6 | 8.5 | 10.3 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 10.0 |
Caudal peduncle width | 7.0 | 5.6 | 5.7 | 5.1 | 5.5 | 5.7 |
Dorsal-fin base length | 10.5 | 11.7 | 12.2 | 11.5 | 10.8 | 12.5 |
Dorsal-fin depth | 16.4 | 18.8 | 20.5 | 20.9 | 19.6 | 21.1 |
Anal-fin base length | 14.8 | 14.0 | 16.3 | 20.0 | 16.2 | 18.9 |
Anal-fin depth | 12.7 | 15.3 | 13.4 | 14.9 | 12.4 | 15.5 |
Pectoral-fin length | 18.1 | 20.2 | 20.3 | 21.9 | 21.5 | 22.6 |
Pelvic-fin length | 13.8 | 15.9 | 14.4 | 17.6 | 15.8 | 18.3 |
Head length | 23.8 | 24.7 | 25.5 | 23.7 | 24.4 | 25.1 |
Head depth at nape | 15.1 | 15.5 | 16.9 | 15.6 | 15.7 | 17.7 |
Head width (maximum) | 11.0 | 10.5 | 11.5 | 11.3 | 11.1 | 12.5 |
Snout length | 5.3 | 6.3 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 6.9 | 7.0 |
Eye diameter (horizontal) | 6.2 | 6.7 | 7.8 | 6.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 |
Postorbital distance | 12.7 | 12.6 | 11.9 | 12.1 | 12.2 | 10.6 |
Interorbital width | 6.7 | 6.6 | 7.3 | 7.4 | 7.5 | 7.4 |
Length of upper jaw | 6.0 | 6.4 | 7.7 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 6.9 |
Length of lower jaw | 8.4 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.6 | 9.2 | 9.6 |
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Head depth at nape | 63.3 | 62.7 | 66.1 | 65.9 | 64.2 | 70.3 |
Head width (maximum) | 46.2 | 42.3 | 44.9 | 47.6 | 45.3 | 49.7 |
Snout length | 23.3 | 25.5 | 25.9 | 26.6 | 28.2 | 27.9 |
Eye diameter (horizontal) | 25.9 | 27.0 | 30.7 | 28.3 | 28.0 | 27.2 |
Postorbital distance | 50.5 | 50.8 | 46.5 | 51.2 | 46.5 | 48.5 |
Interorbital width | 28.3 | 26.5 | 28.4 | 31.0 | 30.7 | 29.6 |
Length of upper jaw | 25.1 | 25.8 | 30.0 | 30.2 | 30.8 | 27.4 |
Length of lower jaw | 35.2 | 37.5 | 37.6 | 39.5 | 37.6 | 38.3 |
Depth of operculum | 36.9 | 37.2 | 38.2 | 37.3 | 36.5 | 37.0 |
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Depth of caudal peduncle | 47.3 | 41.3 | 44.0 | 48.6 | 52.2 | 54.6 |
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Eye diameter (horizontal) | 91.5 | 101.6 | 107.8 | 91.3 | 91.1 | 91.9 |
Though only few specimens were examined, we may report on pronounced sexual dimorphism: the pectoral fin is longer while the pectoral-pelvic distance is shorter in males and the pectoral fin reaches behind the origin of the pelvic fin (Fig.
The dorsal part of the head and the body is dark grey. The flank and the abdomen are silvery. The fins are hyaline.
As the knowledge of the biodiversity in general and of the fish fauna in particular within the Vjosa River system in Albania is very scarce (
Recent faunal lists mentioned the occurrence of an
Limited mitochondrial (cytb) data of
In the publication by
Our morphological data (Table
The entire
The Vjosa population of
While
We could only morphologically compare our sample with the limited published data of
So far, clarification of the taxonomic status of
Heckel had apparently examined specimens of
Recent studies provide evidence that species of
NB was supported by the Austrian Science Foundation (Lise Meitner Programme, project M2183-B25).